HUNDREDS of people have been helped by a community scheme that aims to help others during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Leader previously reported that James Hunt, founder of the Nanny Biscuit community project, set up a new community group, along with the other hard-working volunteers, to ensure the elderly and most vulnerable have what they need during this time of crisis.

The group appealed for as many volunteers to come forward and offer their time to ensure people in the county do not go without.

In just two weeks the group - Nanny Biscuits Flintshire Corona virus help group – gained over 1,500 members.

Volunteers offer the delivery of food supplies and a pen-pal service over the phone as well as emergency posting.

James told the Leader: “Phone call wise, in two weeks we received over 300 phone calls and we have signposted a lot of those.

“We’ve had so many people come forward to offer their help. We had an IT Consultant who has made us an amazing computer system for all our volunteers to communicate and we have turned a local community centre into a food warehouse so we can distribute supplies out.

“This saves our volunteers going into shops because we don’t want to become a delivery service for the virus.

“It’s all grown very big, very quickly which is great to see.”

Safeguarding systems have been put in place to minimise the risk of contracting Covid-19.

As a result, products that enter the warehouse is quarantined for over 70 hours until it is safe to leave, and all members wear protective equipment such as gloves and masks.

James added: “We are now able to offer vulnerable and elderly people fresh and frozen food quicker.

“I’m taken aback by the response. I’ve gone from a gas engineer to a warehouse owner in two weeks. It’s amazing and it’s running itself. The volunteers have been fantastic.

“I’m just taken aback by how the community and volunteers have all come together to create something amazing. We’ve got the telephone service which has kicked into action so people can speak to a friendly voice, we are delivering food that has been safeguarded and everyone has been DBS checked. No cash is involved.”

The group was set up after news of the elderly and vulnerable being asked to self-isolate for 12 weeks.

James said that by ‘working together, we can help them through this’.

He told the Leader: “Providing they are in the elderly and vulnerable category they need to ring us and then we have a proper script on the phone line which we talk through.

“We then send out the food packages. It’s for those who are at high-risk.

“I just feel it’s really down to the community to look after itself during times like this.

“NHS and council services are stretched to breaking point and it’s the people in communities that can help each other better and faster.

“Please don’t suffer in silence, get in touch with Nanny Biscuit, we can help you.”

More information can be found on the Nanny Biscuits Flintshire Corona virus help group Facebook Page or by calling 07726230989.